IK
by GojyoLoverForever
Summary: After beign betrayed and being called the puppet Leuitenant, can Izuru Kira find what he is really looking for in life, or will he forever be trapped under Gin's shadow?  Izuru X OC  not a yaoi story!  Please read and comment!
1. Chapter 1

The infirmary barracks were a rush of activity as the wounded were brought in off the battlefield. The battle had been won, the Arrancar's were defeated and Soul Society was safe, but the cost had been high, many were injured and a few brave souls had given the ultimate sacrifice and died protecting their home and families. The attack had happened suddenly after years of quiet after the defeat of the Aizen and his army. It had been a fairly normal day, nothing out of the ordinary to suggest that the day would end with bloodshed. The first wave of Arrancars attacked with the rising of the sun, under the cover of twilight. The Rukong district was the hardest hit area and it was there that the casualties were the greatest. Naturally, Squad 11 was the first to engage the enemy on the field and once they were joined by squads 6, 13, 2, 9, and 3 victory was almost guaranteed. It was the time it took to get al the squads dispatched however that was almost the undoing of the Gotei 13. Squads 11, 3, and 6 were engaged against the enemy the longest and thus sustained the greatest casualties. Squads 13, 9, and 2 joined and helped seal victory for the Soul Reapers. The battle was long and bloody, extending over the course of almost three days before the Arrancars finally began their retreat, only to be picked off and finally destroyed. However, victory was bitter sweet, as the long line of wounded and dead continued to come into Squad 4 barracks. 

Captain Unohana and Lieutenant Isane Kotetsu were kept busy dealing with the most severely injured. Hanatarô Yamada was indispensable as usual and had helped to save many lives that day. In a brief moment of inactivity Mayu brushed her long red hair back from her face and looked around as her thoughts drifted, for a moment, to her two children who were safe in the stronghold with all the other children. Reina and Kiyoto, both only three years old, they were her precious children. She knew they were safe and she was grateful for that. Reina was just like her mother, fiery red hair and piercing green eyes, and a kind heart that was evident even at such a young age. Kiyoto was like his father, short blond hair covered his head and brown eyes smiled at everyone he saw. Mayu took a breath and sighed, yes her children were safe, but… her husband, she did not know about him. He was out there somewhere still fighting to protect them all. She wasn't too worried about him, he was captain of one of the high squads in soul society, he could take care of himself- he had done so for years before she had even met him. Yet, she still worried for his safety. 

Shouts from the other side of the barracks broke through her thoughts as she turned towards the noise, seeing Unohana and Hanataro bringing in yet another stretcher. Mayu made her way over, as she tied her hair back and pushed it behind her shoulder. As she approached the bed where they were, Isane walked over to her. 

"Another one Isane? " 

The woman nodded without a word, a look of sadness and fear in her eyes as she looked at Mayu. Isane was always a quiet one, devoted to her work and her duty, and careful to help anyone who was in need. Mayu had found her to be a truly delightful person when she had first joined the ranks of Squad 4, and the two had quickly become not only co-squad members but friends.

"Who is it, Isane?" Mayu asked as she tried to walk past her friend, who gently pushed her back. 

"Mayu, I…" 

Mayu looked at her friend and knew the look in her eyes. There was something she was hiding from her, something she didn't want her to know. The woman pulled free of her friend's gentle grip and ran over to the bed and stopped dead in her tracks as she stared at the beaten and bloody figure laying on the bed. Her knees buckled slightly as she looked at the man lying on the bed. His pale skin was streaked with blood and dirt, his shinigami captain's robe was torn and stained as well. By his side was his zampaktou, still tightly clutched in his right hand, as if in a death grip. Mayu slowly steps closer, ignoring Unohana's words as she knelt down beside the bed. With a trembling hand she reached out and brushed back the blonde hair from his face as tears started to roll down her cheeks.

"Izuru…" she whispered softly.

Mayu was lost to everyone and everything but what was right in front of her. Her husband, the man she loved more than her own life, the man who had saved her from her meaningless existence, it was him who was lying on that bed, barely alive. She watched as his breath came in short shallows gasps, her eyes drifting to the massive wound on his chest and shoulder. She faintly heard Unohana explain what happened.

"From what we have gathered, Captain Izuru and Lieutenant Renji were at the front lines of the battle, chasing after the remaining Arrancars as they retreated. They fell into a last resort ambush the Arrancar's had laid. The enemy was destroyed but unfortunately Renji and Izuru were both terribly wounded." 

Captain Izuru Kira, the famous captain of Squad 3, seemed to be barely clinging to life as he laid there in the barracks, surrounded by many of his injured comrades, including Renji Abarai. Mayu didn't say anything as she slowly leaned over Izuru and started removing the tattered remains of his robes and started examining the wound. A deep wound covered his right shoulder and chest. Kira's short ragged breaths gurgled from his chest and his skin was pale and cold. After removing his robes, they also saw the ugly bruise on his side where he had been kicked or hit somehow, and it was obvious several ribs had been broken, if not worse.

"The cowards, they were too afraid to fight him hand to hand like true warriors," Mayu said as her voice cracked. "They used Bala Cero attacks; they tried to destroy him before he could get close enough to fight them."

Hanataro slowly walked over and put a hand on Mayu's shoulder. He had come to admire and respect this strong woman ever since she had joined the ranks of squad four.

"Captain Izuru is strong, he will be alright" he said sincerely as he glanced at his captain who nodded slowly. 

Mayu nodded without a word and blinking back tears, started tending to the life threatening wound. As she worked, Mayu's thoughts drifted back to what her life had been like before she had med Izuru Kira, the man who would later become her husband and the father of her children.

For most of her life, Mayu had been on her own in the world. When she had come to Soul Society she was alone, no one to call her family, no one to call mother or father, it was just her and the brutality of life in the Rukongai district. Like almost all of those who dwelt in Soul Society, Mayu held little to no memories of her past life as a living breathing human. What she was left with were feelings and sensations around certain things and in certain situations, like water. For some reason, unknown to her, Mayu was terrified of water. She lived near a river that flowed through the Rukongai district and always felt a twinge of uneasiness about that body of water. Little did she know that when she was alive, it was a river, much like the one she lived by now, that had claimed her life. She was young, in her early 20's and had been out on the river with a friend of hers when the boat they were in turned over. Mayu drowned that day, and though she held no memory of the event that took her life, the fear of that river still remained with her even on the other side of the grave. It was a miracle she survived as long as she did, so many others had given up hope and many of her friends eventually died. Mayu did have a glimmer of hope though, she had heard of some from the Rukongai and other districts who had made it into the Soul Reaper Academy . If there was ever any hope of her getting a better life and an actual future that was it. It was a long shot, but it was all she had and that hope is what got her through the years of hard work and pain. And years it was, before she knew it she was older and seemed destined to forever be stuck living life of a meager existence. However, her fate changed one day when a rogue group of Bounts invaded Soul Society. 

There had been uprising and small attacks on the outskirts of the Seretie for years, and this one event was not much different than any of the others. It was the second or third one Mayu had been through, they all blurred together for her, just one more thing she had to overcome in her life. It was because of these attacks and raids that she discovered what her true gift and skill was. Mayu soon discovered that she was a very skilled healer. While she was not much use in direct hand to hand combat, she had great skills at healing and had been the saving grace for many through the years. During this particular raid, several squads of the Soul Reapers had been called out to deal with the Bounts in an attempt to drive them away for good.

Mayu had been up in a tree scouting the Bount's location as they approached. Because she lacked skill and strength at hand to hand combat, she usually opted for trying to hide and wait out the raids and then help those she could. So she sat in the branches, her back pressed against the large rough trunk of the tree as she silently wished there was another sturdy branch higher up. There wasn't one, so she would have to make do with what she had available to her. Closing her eyes, Mayu held her breath as she heard footsteps under her and voices shouting. In the midst of the commotion someone let lose a kido blast, Mayu recognized it and then she felt the tree shake and someone or something big and heavy slammed into the tree. The top of the tree swayed violently and she lost her grip on the branch and felt herself start to fall. At the last second she closed her eyes, expecting to hit hard ground, but instead, she landed on something semi soft, which broke her fall. A muffled groan immediately caught her attention as she looked and saw that she had landed on top of a soul reaper. Scrambling to her feet Mayu felt the color drain from her face. He was wearing a captain's hinaro. She had just fallen on a Captain of one of the 13 Squads. 

"Oh, I… I'm terribly sorry! Pl…please forgive me…" she muttered as she bowed low. 

The captain she had landed on slowly stood and started brushing himself off. He turned and looked at Mayu who was still bent low and seemed to be trembling. Walking over to her, he put a finger under her chin and tilted her head up. Mayu flinched slightly in fear but as she looked up at him, all fear and concern faded away. He was smiling at her. 

"You're not hurt are you?" 

Mayu shook her head no, that she was fine.

"What are you doing out here? It's not safe with these Bounts still roaming around."

Mayu stared at him. Golden blonde hair fell over covering the left side of his face and fell to his shoulders. Warm gently brown eyes smiled down at her. He wore the robes of a Soul Reaper and a Captain, though Mayu couldn't see what squad he was with. As she stood there staring at him she finally managed to speak.

"I know there are Bounts, I was… scouting for them. And when they were gone, I was going to start tending to the wounded like I always…"

Mayu didn't get to finish. Just then a rather large man came running up to the captain. He was a good bit older than the captain even though he wore the arm band of a lieutenant. His hair was short and black, he had fiery blue eyes, and he had a scar down the left side of his neck. Mayu thought about the possible ways he had gotten that scar- probably some battle against a dangerous foe. Torie knelt before his captain as he started to speak. 

"Captain Kira, the Bounts have fled and left Soul Society. Shall we give chase?"

"No, our orders were to protect the Sereite, and we have done that. Tell the men to pull back; we will tend to our wounded. Thank you Torie."

Mayu watched the exchange between captain and lieutenant and marveled. She would have assumed their roles were switched, that the older, more mature looking man would be the prime candidate for a captain, not the young friendly man she saw wearing the Shinigami robes. They seemed such opposites at first glance. The timid smaller man who did not have the years behind him that many others had, somehow had gained the rank of Captain while one appearing to be more experienced and indeed stronger was at a lower position and rank. She stood there silently and watched as Torie bowed once more to his Captain and then hurried off to gather the men. A few minutes later the blond haired man turned back to her and smiled. 

"I apologize for the interruption, I believe you were saying that you have some skills as a healer?"

"Y..yes.. I do… captain…?"

"Oh I'm sorry, I'm Captain Izuru Kira of Squad 3, Scouting Party and Relief Team.""

Mayu stared in shock as the Captain bowed to her slightly.

"I'm Mayu Asen," she said softly.

Kira stood and looked down at the tiny woman standing before him and smiled kindly. She was so thin and her simple worn and faded dress hung around her tiny frame loosely. Her face was dirty and her hands were worn from long years of work, yet her eyes shone brightly and when she smiled. Kira sensed it was a true and honest smile- not a fake smile like he had grown so use to putting on those long years ago. 

"Well, Mayu Asen, there is always a need for skilled healers, and in the Rukongai especially."

Kira gave a slight bow as he glanced over to where his men were now gathered and waiting orders from their captain.

"I must be going, I have to report to the other captains."

"Will… will I see you again?" Mayu asked softly. She didn't even know why she had asked. Why would she care if she saw him again and why would he even want to see her again? He was a captain of one of the 13 Protection squads and she was a nobody from the 30th district of the Rukongai. Mayu lowered her head, trying to hide the blush that was creeping up her face. 

Kira smiled as he turned and faced her, silent for a moment. 

"I am sure we will see each other sometime" Kira said as he started to walk towards his men. Stopping for a moment, he looked over his shoulder back to Mayu as he smiled. "This is my designated patrol area after all."

Mayu stood and watched, in wonder, as Kira and the rest of his squad faded away, back towards the great wall, that forever seemed to keep her blocked out and held back. She stood there until the gatekeeper closed the gate once more, leaving her alone in her pitiful instance of life. After staring after them for some time, Mayu sighed and made her way back to her tiny shack that served as her home. Her heart was lightened somewhat after her encounter with the Captain, but she also told herself that she would never see him again.


	2. Chapter 2

It had been several months since her encounter with the Captain from Squad three and Mayu wondered what he was doing… There was something about the way he always smiled at her and spoke to her that made it impossible for her to forget him. She saw Captain Izuru Kira from time to time over the last few months, as part of Squad three's duties was to patrol the Sereitie and surrounding areas. After the treason of captains Aizen, Tousen, and Ichimaru, it had been decided that Squad three's regular duties needed to be stepped up and patrols and checks needed to be increased. Even after their victory over Aizen and the Arrancars the patrols were kept active. Izuru was not one to let his ranking as captain go to his head, he had struggled for so long just to accept that he could be captain. As such, he too took up one of the patrol areas along with his men. Kira, along with his Lieutenant and two most trusted squad members, patrolled the Rukongai District. Each one of them took one of the four main gates and twice a week they would go for an update from the Gatekeepers and check on the area nearby for any problems or concerns. Kira's gate was the one patrolled by the gentle giant Jidanbo. He became a great help to Kira over the years and always had the latest news and warnings, even from as far as the 60th's district of the Rukongai in that quadrant. It also happened that Mayu's home was in the 30th's district, about a day's journey from the gate and across the river the flowed just outside Jidanbo's Gate. Mayu and Kira often saw eachother while he was on his patrols. Mayu smiled as she sat by the small fire and thought back to the last time she had spoken to Captain Kira. 

It had been almost two days ago… she had been down to the river to draw some water. Mayu never lingered by the river for long, the fear inside her was that great. Indeed, if it wasn't for the small bridge that spanned the river, she would never cross the river. She had hurried back home and when she arrived, she saw Kira speaking with Jidanbo. Setting her things down she hurried over to see him and as she approached she heard them talking.

"The weather looks like it is about to change…" Kira said as he stood near the wall, the cool breeze blowing through his hair and sending his Captains robe billowing behind him.

"Yes…" Jidanbo said thoughtfully. "I fear this may be one of the coldest winters we have seen in many long years." 

Kira was about to say something when a soft voice behind him interrupted.

"We have survived harsh winters before, we will be fine."

A slight smile crossed Kira's face as Mayu joined them.

"It's good to see you Mayu," Kira said with a slight bow.

"And it is good to see you too, Captain Kira."

"I told you, call me Kira."

Mayu giggled and Kira smiled as she turned and spoke to Jidanbo.

"How are you today, Jidanbo?" she smiled up at her old friend.

"I am well, little Mayu. It is you I am worried about… how is that cough of yours?"

"Oh that? It's nothing… I'm fine," Mayu said quickly as she glanced at Kira.

Kira looked at her and his face grew troubled. She was thinner than the last time he had spoken with her, her clothes were thread bare in places, and her pants were ragged and torn off just below the knees. She had an old cloak wrapped around her shoulders and simple slippers on her feet- not exactly the best winter clothes.

"I'll be fine Captain."

"I told you, it's Kira."

"Alright, Kira… you just focus on making those changes you have been talking about. We all need your help if things are ever going to get better here in the Rukongai."

Mayu sighed as her thoughts drifted back to the present. That had been two days ago, and on this particular day Mayu was deep within the Rukongai on the opposite side of the river for her rare trip across the feared water in search of supplies. Winter was always harsh and even in the best districts, one through 30, supplies were scarce this time of the year. In order to find winter clothes, often the only course was to go deeper within the Rukongai and search the black market of the worse districts as quickly as possible and then get out. That was where Mayu had been for the last two days. Two day's journey into the Rukongai and she had found what she was looking for and had actually managed to get her hands on a fairly new winter cloak. It was none too soon for that night the temperatures dropped and first icy fingers of winter gripped the lands. That was two days ago, and now she was at least a days journey away from the river, at least a day away from her home. And as if things were not already bad enough, it was starting to snow. She had managed to find some wood and made a small fire as she huddled in the alleyway, pulling her cloak tightly around her shoulders and made ready to spend a chilly night and continue on towards the river the next day. 

That same night, Kira was sitting at the desk in his study. A small pot of untouched tea sat on the tray nearby as he sat and stared off into nothing. Tomorrow was the one day a year that hit him the hardest out of them all. That was the day part of this life had had known for years had been destroyed. That was the day he had nearly lost himself to the guilt and sorrow. That was the day the treason of the captains had become known and the day his former master and mentor, Gin Ichimaru, had left. That was the one day a year that Kira allowed himself to get lost in the memories and allowed the guilt and sorrow and memories to take over, even for a short time, and get lost in the darkness that event had forever cast over his life. As the fire burned in the hearth, his mind wandered farther and farther away and held him until sleep finally took him and held him until the light of morning woke him up.

Kira opened his heavy eyes and blinked as the light shone through the window which he had left open the night before. Groaning and running his hands through his hair, leaving it tousled, Kira stood and stretched as he stared out the window, across the small courtyard outside. He had done it again, fallen asleep in his office and not even gone home. It wasn't like it mattered much, there was no one waiting there for him, and truth be told it was even smaller than his place at the squad three barracks. Kira lived life alone, in fact, ever since the betrayal of his captain, Kira had never let anyone else get close to him. After nearly being consumed by guilt for the role he had played as Ichimaru's puppet lieutenant, he had swung to the far extreme and almost totally shut himself off from others. It had taken the careful prodding and patients of Renji Abarai, Rukia Kuchiki, Captain Ukitake, and Rangiku Matsumoto to get him out of the depression and be able to finally accept himself as Captain of Squad Three. Even now the only ones he was remotely close to other than those few who had been by his side through it all was his Leiutenant, Torie Makishie. But on this day, this one day of the year, even they could do little to lift the mood that he was in. 

Closing the blinds, Kira walked back to the desk and took his captains haori and pulled it on over his black robes. Walking over to the small deep stained shelves he reached up and pulled out a jar of sake and a small cup. Closing the door behind him, Kira slowly made his way down the hall, passing Torie and his third seat, Sosaki Isa. Isa had been assigned to the squad several months ago and quickly rose up in the ranks of Squad three and became a valuable asset and filled a vacancy that had been there for some time. One of the younger members of the squad, it only made his promotion to third seat all the more amazing and Kira saw great potential in the young man in the near future. As he made his way down the hall Kira heard the familiar voices coming towards him. 

"Captain Kira!" Torie said as he stood at attention and then bowed as Kira passed. Isa followed the example as he bowed slightly.

"At ease," Kira muttered as he continued on, not slowing down or looking at them.

Isa stood and watched as his captain walked down the hall and faded around the corner, the sound of a slamming door echoing down the hallway.

"What's the matter with Captain Kira?"

Torie stood silent a moment and then turned to his companion and managed a small smile.

"Its today." 

"what?"

"Today is the anniversary of the betrayal. We will not see him for the rest of the day, or if we do he will not speak to us." 

"Why not, Torie?" 

"That's just the way he is on this day, its just the way he has learned to deal with it." 

Isa looked down the empty hallway for a moment and then turned and followed his Lieutenant as they made their way back to the barracks to get ready for the training session with the rest of squad three that day. 

Kira made his way through the streets of the Sereitie, everyone and everything around him seeming to move in slow motion, or maybe it was he who was moving so slowly. The roads were unusually empty this morning, and for that he was grateful, it meant less people he would have to talk to. Soon he found himself standing at the gate. Lifting his hand, palm out towards the gate, he closed his eyes as the gate slowly started to raise up. Once it was fully up, he walked through, finding himself outside the high wall and now in outer edge of the Rukongai District. A loud yet kind voice made him turn his head. 

"Captain Kira, you are a bit late this morning." 

"My apologizes, Jidanbo, late start this morning" Kira said with a forced smile. 

He fell silent a moment as the thought back to the years past and the way Jidanbo had always treated him. Despite the cruel treatment his former captain had shown to the gentle giant, he bore no ill feelings towards Kira and had openly congratulated him on getting the position of Captain. For a long time, Kira felt extreme guilt over the way Gin had treated Jidanbo and blamed himself for having a part in everything that had happened. None of that mattered to Jidanbo and he often told Kira that he believed in looking at each person as an individual, a unique person, apart from anyone else. In time Kira came to accept that he was different than Gin that he was separate and no longer had to live under the shadow of his former captain and the friendship between him and Jindambo continued to grow. Over the years, the two had become quite the team, and Kira was grateful for the help. 

"Anything new to report this morning, Jidanbo?" The giant thought for a moment. 

"No, not really. It's been pretty quiet the last few days. How's Mayu? I haven't seen her for a few days." 

Kira's expression immediately fell. "What do you mean, you haven't seen her for a few days? Where was she?" Kira could hear the hint of panic in his own voice. Why am I so concerned about her... Im sure she is fine... he thought to himself. 

"Well...She crossed the river, lets see, three days ago at least. Haven't seen her since then, and that was just before that last storm when the bridges collapsed." 

"Why wasn't I informed that the bridges had collapsed?" 

Kira was getting upset and he needed to get control of himself. Mayu could take care of herself. She didn't need him or anyone else to babysit her. "Jidanbo, have you spoken to anyone from District 30 lately? Maybe she's just down with a cold or something." 

"I haven't seen anyone that knows Mayu. I hope she's ok." 

Kira thought back on the last time he'd seen Mayu. She was wearing just a thin cloak over her already thread bare clothes, and winter was fast approaching. He tried to give her a cloak that had belonged to his mother but she had refused, saying that she would be able to find something and he didn't need to worry about her. That damn pride of hers! Kira pinched the bridge of his nose with his fingers as he though. He hadn't offered Mayu the cloak because he felt sorry for her, he'd had it in his possession since his parents death those long years ago. Why he had held onto it, he didn't know but for some reason, he wanted her to have it. 

"Jidanbo, open the gate," he said firmly, his eyes focused straight ahead, his hands clutched at his sides. "I'm going to look for Mayu." 

Jidanbo looked at him a moment and was about to say something, but he saw the look in the captain's eyes and he knew there was no point in arguing and he opened the gate. Kira summoned his hell butterfly and as it lighten on his finger he spoke to it then watched as it flew away over the high wall to Torie, to deliver the message so his lieutenant wouldn't worry about him. Turning back, Kira stepped through the gate and looked over his shoulder. "Thank you my friend" he said simply as he turned on hurried towards the river nearby to start his search. 

"Take care of yourself Captain" Jidanbo said. 

Kira's thoughts were on Mayu as he hurried off, ignoring the wave Jidanbo gave him. He knew where she lived and he headed in that direction. Passing through each district, his steps got quicker and quicker until he was at a full blown run. After running for a little more than an hour, he was only at district 15, half way to the district where she lived. Mentally cursing the vastness of each district, he ran through the crowded streets. As he ran on he glanced now and then at the people he passed… it was true what they said about the Rukongai Districts, the farther you got from the Sereitie, the worse the conditions were. People were stocking up on meager supplies for the coming storm and it was getting harder to move through the thickening crowds. The sun was high in the sky by this point, but it gave off very little warmth. Kira couldn't get the picture of Mayu in her threadbare cloak out of his mind. She must be freezing by now. He paused to catch his breath as he reached the edge of the 20th district. Little puffs air clouded his vision and his lungs burned slightly from the chilly air. A tiny snowflake passed in front of his eyes, then another and another. She was out there somewhere, he could feel it. Adjusting his Captain's haori around him, Kira started to run again. He gathered his spiritual energy and put everything he had into flash steps; he rarely used them because of the amount of energy it took out of him, but he didn't care… he had to find her.

Sleep had not been very kind to her that night as she slept and Mayu woke before the sun, cold and stiff, a thick layer of frost covering her cloak. Knowing there was no point in trying to sleep as cold as she was, she had gotten up and started on her way back towards the river. She cursed under her breath for having to always travel so far to find anything in the Rukongai. On and on she walked, wishing the sun would hurry and come out so things would warm up some. The sun finally did rise in the sky, but not much warmth came with it and by mid day, grey clouds were blotting out the sun and light flakes of snow were starting to fall. Mayu was cursing the weather for about the tenth time as she got near the river which was the border between the 31st and 30th districts. Once she crossed the bridge, she would be home and would be able to try and get warm again. Her feet stopped moving and her mouth hung open as her stomach twisted at the sight before her. The small rickety bridge that crossed the rather wide river was broken down, the entire middle section poking up from the water in splintered pieces. It had finally given out after that last storm. She was trapped… The realization hit Mayu like a punch to the stomach. As she stood there near the water's edge, she looked across the river. You have to get across... you have to, she told herself, but her feet would not move. The sound of the water and the depth of the water filled every fiber of her being with that inexplicable fear. "I cant..." she muttered to herself as she started to back away from the water's edge. "I cant..." Mayu sank to the ground in front of the remains of a shack, abandoned a long time ago and now no more than a pile of planks and boards. With her back to the one remaining wall Mayu pulled her knees up against her chest and hugged the cloak tight around her shoulders. 

The districts flew by under Kira's flash steps as panic filled every fiber of his being. Where was she? Was she hurt? He pushed the negative thoughts from his head as he finally reached the border of district 30. Leg muscles burning, lungs fighting for air, Kira still pushed himself harder. There it was! The river! Sliding to a stop on the slippery bank, he scanned up and down the water, looking for the broken bridge. Spying it several yards to the east, Kira ran to it. It was shattered, and clearly unusable. 

"Mayu! Mayu!" He called to her, but he was so out of breath, it came out as barely a whisper. His lungs were still burning from the run and the icy cold air wasn't helping any. He looked for her across the river and finally spied a tiny cloaked figure. That had to be her! He could just barely see wisps of hair peeking out from the top of the cloak. Cupping his hands around his mouth, he yelled with all he had.

Mayu knew the dangers of falling asleep when it was cold, but she couldn't help it, she was exhausted from the last few days of travel and she was so cold. Her feet were cold and her muscles were refusing to move when she commanded. She had meant to close her eyes for just a moment, just a moment so she could rest before trying to find another bridge... but that was all it took for her to fade into a deep heavy sleep. Through the darkness, over the sound of river and wind she thought she heard something... she thought she heard someone, someone calling to her. Mayu tried to open her eyes, to wake herself, but she couldn't. Her body was so cold and felt so heavy... it was like she could barely even feel her body at all. 

Kira called to her again and again trying to get her to answer. He stopped after a few minutes and glanced up and down the river. The next bridge wasn't for miles farther upstream and he didn't have time to go that far. He had to get to her, and fast. Slipping off his haori, he rolled it up and draped it over his shoulders so it would stay dry and walked towards the river. As his feet touched the water he felt the icy cold jab shoot through his body. Biting his lip slightly he walked farther out, the water coming up to his knees. He had to get to her, no matter what... he had to. Kira continued on across the river, the water reaching up to his waist at the deepest point.

"Mayu!" he called to her again when he was more than half way to her. Receiving no answer he hurried across the river. Please let her be alright, Kira prayed in his head. The river's bottom was rocky and Kira was grateful for that, made it easier to keep his footing in the moving water. He made it to the other bank and climbed the gentle slope, the trapped water from his hakima pants dripping around his feet. Running to Mayu, he dropped to his knees and shook her as he called her name again and again. No answer. Lifting up her chin, he could see that her lips were blue and her skin was pale and cold. She was in serious danger. Noticing the newer, heavier cloak draped around her tiny frame, he cursed her in his mind. If she would have just taken his mother's cloak all of this could have been avoided. The snow continued to fall, adding to the thin layer that had already formed on Mayu's cloak. He couldn't not dwell on the what ifs, right now, he needed to get her warm. Kira barely noticed how cold his legs and feet were as he wrapped his haori around her shoulders. 

Not wasting any time, he gathered up a small pile of wood, and using some of his remaining spirit energy, got a spark and soon had a small fire going. Moving back to Mayu, who had remained motionless the entire time, Kira brushed back the hair from her face. Gently he gathered her into his arms, holding her close. Frantically he thought about what to do. It would take the rest of the day to get back to the Seritie. Yet Mayu wouldn't last much longer in the cold without getting warmed up some first… but every moment they spent on the bank meant more time before he could get her back to squad four. Kira shook his head; he couldn't do this, not now. He had to get a hold of himself. So it was that he had decided to build the small fire. He would get Mayu warm and regain some of his energy before starting back. Letting his attention drift back to Mayu he looked down at her as she lay there in her arms. He pulled her closer, her head resting against his chest as they sat by the fire, his back to the wind, trying to shield her from the worst of it.


End file.
